Dare to Make It: Holiday

How to Make an Embellished Blanket with Recycled Sweaters

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Lee Meredith, contributor

40 users recommend

A functional work of art is the best kind of gift!

Lee Meredith

This is a good quiltlike project for someone with no actual quilting experience!

Lee Meredith

I did a gridlike design with the ties, but you could go crazy and put the knots in randomly or in a swirl design or whatever you can think of!

Lee Meredith

A functional work of art is the best kind of gift!

Photo: Lee Meredith

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The blanket is just about done, and you might be able to skip this next step if everything looks good already. But what I did next was block, as you'd do to a knit object. To block the blanket, I put another blanket down on the floor, and I held that blanket flat by placing heavy books around the edges. I pinned my blanket onto it all around the edges, pulling it straight and even. Then I sprayed the blanket with water until it was pretty wet.

Let the blanket fully dry, probably overnight, before taking the pins out for the final step.

The last step is to attach the front and back pieces to each other throughout the blanket, so it's more like a quilt and less like an unstuffed pillow. If you are a quilter, you can do your own thing with this part, but I kept it simple. I took yarn scraps (recycled unraveled sweater wool!) and a big sewing needle and stitched little knots evenly throughout the blanket. Stitch through both layers from the top, then come back up just a fraction of an inch over.

Be sure the blanket is lying flat and even when joining the layers.

Tie a super-tight square knot, and trim the yarn to about a half-inch. Repeat all over the blanket. You could add a little extra interest by using different-colored yarn scraps!

I did a gridlike pattern with the ties, but you could go crazy and put the knots in randomly or in a swirl design or whatever you can think of!

Now give it to someone who likes to snuggle up in cozy wool in the cold winter months!

A functional work of art is the best kind of gift!

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My Recycled Sweater...
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Recycled Sweater...
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My Sewing Room
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Comments (6)

1Suprise writes: I love it, so beautiful, and practical to have in cool nigth
I love or idea, thank you for sharing with us...have a good day to you...thank you again.

Posted: 12:38 am on January 14th

YouMustBeKidding writes: Great idea but this has got to be one of the ugliest blankets I have ever seen!!!
Posted: 7:48 pm on February 28th

sophiecai writes: wow...love this recycled ideas!
Posted: 8:39 pm on February 15th

Jen1964 writes: Ingenious! I have to admit, I've never thought of quilting with sweaters. I've seen people quilt old t-shirts, but not as nicely as this. I love the crazy quilt appearance, and the cuddly sweater factor. Just nutty enough to be genius. (Yes, that's a compliment) Some folks swear by tufting, but I like what you've done better. The backing is SOOOO important. For this kind, I'll bet you want it to breathe, too. Wouldn't hurt if it was as fuzzy as fleece or a light knit velour. Just watch out for static electricity! Sometimes the stores have $10 lap robes, in good washable fabric. Sounds a little like cheating, but not if you're just after the fabric. They make excellent slipcover fabric as well. Betcha could do some cute pillows from your idea.
Posted: 11:45 am on October 20th

croqzine writes: Nice! I love blankies!
Posted: 1:03 pm on October 9th

Sister_Diane writes: Okay, it must be said: he looks adorable. :-) And I love the blanket!
Posted: 11:29 am on October 9th

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